Washing-machine



W. S. THURLOW.

WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19. 1916.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916 2 SHEETSSHEET I- INVEN1L'UVI W. S. THURLOW.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1916.

1,195,873. Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Hlllllllll II I INVENhIHZ a9 a? J; M FEJEL m: NOIRI! IIYIII 0a.. nlarmurmz. vuumarau. a a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WINFIELD S. THURLOW, OF DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

WASHING-MACHIN E.

Application filed February 19, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VINFIELD S. THUR- now, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dorchester, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in lVashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to an improvement in washing machines specially intended for clothes washing or laundry work and relates to that class of machines in which a rotary drum is mounted inside of another drum. In the machine of the present invention, the outer drum is stationary, and instead of the clothes passing around in the space between the two drums, an endless carrier is mounted inside of the said movable drum and the clothes are deposited on said carrier whose under run is in close proximity to said movable drum. The clothes are fed by said carrier into the thin space between the said rotary drum and the under run of the carrier and are thence carried around and squeezed between the carrier and the drum during the lower half of the rotation of the drum, the carrier being somewhat yielding along the line of this under run so as to allow for the varying thickness of the clothes and also being somewhat weighted to apply a yielding pressure.

The invention will be fully understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the novel features is an end view of one of the slats employed in the construction of the carrier.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents the outer drum which is stationary, and B the inner drum which is rotatable. The outer drum has two heads 1, 2, and the body is formed of staves 3 suitably secured to the heads, thus practically forming a barrel with a head at each end. The said fixed drum A is mounted on any suitable supports so as to lie in a horizontal position. The inner drum is formed with a head, 8 one end Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Serial No. 79,257.

only, the other end being open, the cylindrical portion of the drum consisting of staves 9 secured to the head, and formed with a series of perforations 4 to allow water to pass through freely. The head 8 is mounted centrally on the shaft 11 which passes loosely through the head of the fixed drum and is journaled in bearings l2, 13. The shaft 11 carries a pulley 16 which may be driven by any suitable belt connection to rotate the shaft 11 and thereby to rotate the drum B.

The endless carrier G is composed of a series of slats 17 which are of a length slightly less than the length of the interior of the inner drum B and are arranged parallel with each other, each slat being mounted on two links 18, one at each end of the slat. The slats are each formed with a series of perforations 6 to allow passage of water. Preferably the slat is formed with a longitudinal groove 7 in one face and the perforations all connect with said groove. The links which are at each side of the carrier are pivotally connected together thus forming two endless chains, one at each side of the carrier. Each of said links is formed with circular portions 19, 20 at opposite ends thereof connected by a neck portion 21, the neck 21 having a horizontal flange 22 extending at right angles to the neck. The flanges 22 of the links of the two chains form seats for the slats 17 at their ends. Each link is formed with a bolt hole 23 through which a bolt passes into the slat to firmly secure the slat to the link. The neck 21 is thicker than the heads 19, 20 of the link, preferably twice as thick as the heads, the head 19 being flush with one face of the neck and the head 20 being flush with the other face of the link, thus forming the two shoulders 24, 25 at the ends of the neck offset from each other. The heads of the link are formed respectively with central apertures 26, 27. One of the heads 20 is formed with an arcuate slot 28 and the other head 19 is formed with a lug 29 proi ecting from the inner face of said head; When the links are assembled to form the chain the head 19 of one link will be placed with that face from which the lug 29 projects against that face of the head 20 of the adjacent link which is on the side from which the shoulder 25 projects and the lug 29 of the one link will enga a e the slot 28 of said adjacent link.

The series of links will be pivotally 0 11.

nected together by rods 33 passing through the holes 26, 27. lVhen assembled, each link will have the head 19 lying parallel with the head 20 of another link and will have its head 20 lying parallel with the head 19 of a third link thus making a flush face on both sides of the assembled chain throughout.

Each slat is formed with one side edge 30 eoncaved as shown in Fig. 5, in such manner as to-form on the upper side a tapering flange 31, flat on top and curved on the under side, and the opposite side edge of the slat is formed with a convex curve 32 corresponding with the concave curve 30 so that each slat will have a convex side 32 fitting into a concave side 30 of an adjacent slat. As the slats 17 are seated at both ends on the flanges 22 of the links, the ends of the slats bearing against the inner face of the neck 21, said slats will space the said chains apart from each other. The rods 33 which pass through the holes 26 and 27 of the links eX- tend across from one chain to the other so that both chains are strung on the same set of rods. Said rods may have a head on one end and a nut on the opposite end so as to prevent the said chains from spreading apart from each other. The concaved side of each slat will form such a sliding fit with the convex side of the adjacent slat as to allow a very slight rotary turning of one slat with relation to the other. The under side of each slat is formed with a curved groove lengthwise thereof to fit over the rod 33, the upper face of the flange 22 being in the same plane as a line joining the centers of the holes 26, 27 in the heads of the link. The slot 28 is made slightly longer than the lug 29 and said slot and lug are both curved concentrically with the centers respectively of the holes 26, 27 so as to allow for a slight movement of the lug 29 of one link in the slot 28 of the link with which it is engaged to permit the chain to travel in a curved path at the end turns and on the under run and this construction also prevents sagging of the carrier on the horizontal upper run.

Secured to the inner face 2 of the outer drum A at that end of said drum which is adjacent the open end of the inner drum B and below the center of the drum are two shafts which project into the interior of the drum. On each of said shafts is mounted a revolving wheel 36, said shafts 35 being on the same level and parallel with each other and said wheels 36 being of equal diameter so that the upper sides of said wheels will be on the same level with each other.

The carrier is normally seated on the bottom of the inner periphery of the rotary drum B and its flexibility is such that it will assume a somewhat semicircular form shown in Fig. 1, following the course of the. inner periphery of the said drum about half way to the top of the said drum, then bending shortly and extending straight across the drum. The peculiar form of the adjacent links of the chain and of the slats 17 will, of themselves, retain the upper run of the carrier in a flat plane. The carrier will, however, be in part supported at the two opposite ends of the run by the wheels 36 which serve as additional means of support and make sure that the carrier maintains the proper form. A shaft 37 extends horizontally above and lengthwise of the inner drum above the upper run of the carrier. Strung on said shaft 37 are a series of rolls &2 each formed with a hole as through which the shaft 37 extends, said holes being of greater diameter than the shaft so that the said rolls 12 may, independently of each other, move up and down without movement of the shaft to allow for varying thicknesses of clothes to pass under the said rolls as will be hereinafter described. Qne end of said shaft is mounted in one end of a lever 33, said lever extending at right angles to the said shaft, the other end of said lever 33 carrying a. stud 39 which projects through a bearing e10 secured to the head 2 of the outer drum. Stud 39 is provided with a crank arm -ll whereby lever 38 may be rocked so as to raise shaft 37 and rolls l2 if desired in handling the clothes to insert and remove them.

The machine is supplied with water introduced into the interior of the carrier, that is, into the space between the upper and under runs of the carrier, through a pipe 4% controlled by a faucet 15 or in any suitable manner. The )erforations in the slats of the carrier and in the staves of the inner drum allow free circulation of the water. The outer drum is provided with a draw-off pipe 46 to allow drawing off of the water. The outer drum is provided with hoops 50 of steel or iron whose ends are connected by a tightener 51 so that whenever the said hoops tend to become loosened, they can be tightened up. Preferably a series of rollers 52 journaled in a series of links 53 are provided between the inner and outer drumsto help support and steady the inner drum near the opening end thereof.

In the operation of the machine water is introduced through pipe at to the desired level. The shaft 11 is rotated by any suitable means as by the pulley 16 thereby rotating the inner drum B. The hinged door e7 will be opened and the clothes will be introduced through said door and the open end of the inner drum and deposited on the top of the upper run of the carrier while the machine is in motion so as to insure an even distribution of the clothes on the carrier. The open end of the inner drum permits ready introduction of the carrler while the machine is in operation and this is an important feature. The rotation of the inner drum will be in the direction indicated by the arrow and by reason of the frictional engagement of the slats 17 of the carrier on their under run with the staves 9 of the innor drum, said carrier will be also caused to more in a direction indicated by the arrow. The mass of clothes which have been introduced into the drum and depositedon the carrier at the beginning of the upper run of the carrier, that is, at the right end, as viewed in Fig. 1, will be carried along under the rolls 42. Said rolls 42 are free to be lifted as already described and the clothes will pass under said rolls which will bear down upon the clothes with a pressure, thence the clothes will pass along to the left hand end of the upper run of the carrier as viewed in Fig. 1, thence they will be carried down between the said slats 17 of the carrier and the staves 9 of the inner drum on the under run of the carrier, said carrier being suiiiciently flexible to yield slightly away from the staves 9 of the revolving drum to allow for the thickness of the mass of clothes. The clothes are first squeezed between the rolls 42 and the carrier, and are also squeezed between the carrier and the inner drum. They are more especially squeezed at the turn where the carrier begins the downward run and at the other turn where the carrier again approaches its horizontal run. The clothes are carried again on the upper run of the carrier beneath the rolls 42 and will then pass around between the carrier and the inner drum on the same path as before as many times as desired, to tho-roughly wash the clothes. The squeezing action of the rolls l2 and the squeezing action on the clothes between the carrier and the inner drum, especially at the turns at both ends of the upper run of the carrier are important features of the washer. By reason of the perforations the water is compelled to pass through the carrier and the inner drum, and when the draw ofit' pipe is open, the water which has passed through the carrier and the clothes between the carrier and the inner drum and thence through the inner drum, will also pass out of the outer drum, carrying with it the dirt which has been washed from the clothes and insuring a perfectly sanitary cleansing of the clothes. After the washing is sufiiciently prolonged, the water will be drawn oif, and fresh water will be introduced while the machine is still in operation, thus giving a perfect rinsing of the clothes.

While I have described the preferred form of drums and endless carrier, the form of each may be varied and still come within the scope of the invention, and it is intended that the claims shall cover the combination of two drums with any suitable carrier interposed between the two drums, the essential feature of the invention being that the inner drum is rotatable and that the clothes pass around between the carrier and the inner drum.

What I claim is:

1. In a washing machine, the combination of a rotary drum mounted on a longitudinal axis, said drum being open at one end and closed at the other end, a casing within which said drum is mounted, mechanism within said inner drum for squeezing the clothes, said casing being provided with an entrance in proximity to the open end of the drum through which the clothes may be introduced into the drum and delivered to the washing mechanism while the machine is in operation, and through which same opening the clothes may be taken out after being washed.

2. In a washing machine, the combination with a drum, of an endless carrier within said drum, said carrier being mounted in such manner that it has an upper run and an under run, the upper run being substan-' tially horizontal, the under run of the carrier being in close proximity to the inner periphery of the drum, the drum having an entrance opening through which the clothes to be washed may be introduced and deposited upon the carrier on its upper run, said carrier being constructed and arranged to carry the clothes down and squeeze them between the under run of the carrier and the inner periphery of the drum, thence over the top run and again on the under run.

3. In a washing machine, the combination of two drums, one within the other, said inner drum being rotatable, and an endless carrier within said inner drum, said carrier consisting of slats arranged parallel with each other and pivotally connected together, and so constructed and arranged that the carrier will assume a substantially semicylindrical form, the curved portion conforming to the lower part of the inner drum.

4. In a washing machine, the combination of two drums, one within the other, said inner drum being rotatable and an endless carrier within said inner drum, said carrier consisting of slats arranged parallel with each other and pivotally connected together, and so constructed and arranged that the carrier will assume a substantially semi-cylindrical form, the curved portion conforming to the lower part of the inner drum, said carrier being driven by frictional engagement with the rotary drum and carrying the clothes between the carrier and the drum on the under run of the carrier.

5. In a washing machine, the combination of two drums, one within the other, said inner drum being rotatable, and an endless carrier within said inner drum, said carrier consisting of slats arranged parallel with each other and pivotally connected together, and so constructed and arranged that the carrier will assume a substantially semicylindrical form, the curved portion conforming to the lower part of the inner drum, said carrier being driven by frictional engagement with the rotary drum and carrying the clothes between the carrier and the drum on the under run of the carrier, and yielding pressure rolls, which squeeze the clothes against the carrier on the upper run of the carrier.

6. In a washing machine, the combination of two drums, one within the other, said inner drum being rotatable, means for rotating said inner drum, an endless carrier within said inner drum consisting of slats pivotally connected together, arranged parallel with each other and parallel with the axis of the drum, and so constructed and arranged that the carrier will assume a substantially semi-cylindrical form, with a curved under part and a flat top, and supporting rolls beneath the flat part.

7. In a washing machine, the combination of two drums, one within the other, said drum being rotatable, means for rotating said inner drum, an endless carrier within said inner drum consisting of slats pivotally connected together, one side edge of each slat having a convexly curved slope and the other side edge being inwardly curved to correspond with the convex slope of the first edge, the convex edge of each slat fitting in the inward curve of an adja cent slat.

8. In a washing machine, the combination with a drum, of an endless carrier within said drum, said carrier being mounted in such manner that it has an upper run and an under run, the upper run being substantially horizontal, the under run of the carrier be ing in close proximity to the inner periphery of the drum, the drum having an entrance opening through which the clothes to be washed may be introduced and deposited upon the carrier on its upper run, said carrier being constructed and arranged to carry the clothes down and squeeze them between the under run of the carrier and the inner periphery of the drum, thence over the top run and again on the under run, and means for introducing water into the drum, said carrier and the drum being formed with apertures whereby water may pass through the carrier and thence out of the drum.

9. In a washing machine, the combination of two drums, one within the other, said inner dum being rotatable, means for rotat ing said inner drum, and an endless carrier within said inner drum, said carrier consisting of slats arranged parallel with the axis of the drum, two bracket links for each slat to which the opposite ends of the slat are connected, all of the links at the corresponding ends of the slats being pivotally connected together, thereby making two end less chains on which the slats are mounted at the two ends, each of said links being formed with a circular head at each end and h ving a connecting neck between the two heads, said heads lying in parallel planes, one head of each link having a curved slot therein, and the other head of each link having a laterally projecting lug and the links being so arranged that the lug on each link engages with the slot of an adjacent link.

10. In a washing machine, the combination of two drums one within the other, the inner drum being in the form of a cylinder and mounted and rotatable on a horizontal axis, an endless carrier mounted within said inner drum, said carrier being mounted in such manner that it has an under run in proximity to the surface of the inner periphery of said inner drum said inner drum being formed with an entrance at one end thereof through which the clothing may be introduced and deposited upon said carrier, and means for rotating said drum and actuating said carrier, whereby the clothes deposited upon the carrier will be carried between the under run of the carrier and the inner periphery of the inner drum and squeezed and thence continued around over the top run of the carrier, and again between the carrier and the inner periphery of the drum, repeated according to the will of the operator.

11. In a washing machine the combination of two drums one within the other, said inner drum being rotatable, an endless carrier within said inner drum, said carrier consisting of slats pivotally connected together and arranged parallel with each other, the barrel of the inner drum and the slats of said carrier being formed with perforations, and means for introducing water into the space surrounded by the carrier.

12. In a washing machine the combination of two drums, one within the other, said outer drum being normally closed at both ends, said inner drum being closed at one end and open at the other end and being rotatable, means for rotating said inner drum, an endless carrier within said inner drum, said carrier consisting of slats arranged parallel with each other and pivotally connected together and so constructed and arranged that the carrier will assume a substantially semi-cylindrical form and being driven by frictional engagement with the inner drum, means for introducing water into the space between the upper and under runs of the carrier, the barrel of the inner drum and the slats of the carrier being formed with perforations for the passage of the water, and a draw-0E pipe connected with the lower part of the outer drum.

13. In a washing machine, the combination of two drums, one within the other, means for rotating said inner drum, an endless carrier within said inner drum consisting of slats arranged parallel with each 10 other and pivotally connected together, said slats being grooved longitudinally and having a series of perforations leading from the bottom of the groove.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

l/VINFIELD S. THURLOW.

Witnesses:

EDWIN M. BROOKS, WILLIAM A. COPELAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

